Ukrainian forces defenders have cleared one district of Chasiv Yar in Donetsk Oblast of Russian troops, although the situation remains challenging, says Andrii Polukhin, the spokesperson for the 24th Separate Mechanized Brigade, named after King Danylo, according to Suspilne.
The capture of Chasiv Yar would allow the Russian military to launch an offensive against other cities in the region—Kostiantynivka, Druzhkivka, Kramatorsk, and Sloviansk.
Polukhin stated that the situation in Chasiv Yar is still tough. The Russians are attempting to storm Ukrainian positions with small infantry groups functioning as sabotage and reconnaissance units, which aim to engage Ukrainian forces from the rear.
“The enemy is actively shelling the city with various fire systems and striking it with aerial bombs,” the brigade spokesperson noted.
According to Polukhin, Russian tactics have remained relatively the same as the fighting continues within the urban area with paved roads.
“The obstacle for the enemy now is not the weather but the work of our drone operators and unmanned aerial vehicles,” Polukhin emphasized.
He mentioned that the reserves the Russians had gathered in the city’s area were still sufficient for their operations.
Polukhin also reported on a successful operation carried out by Ukrainian defenders.
“It is the clearing of one of Chasiv Yar’s districts from an enemy infantry group that managed to cross the canal and fortify themselves in one of the ruined buildings. Our soldiers entered the area and emptied several buildings,” he said.
Polukhin highlighted that some residents still remain in the city.
“This, however, does not pose a significant challenge for our soldiers. They are aware of the situation and plan accordingly to avoid certain locations so it does not significantly hinder combat operations or the defense of Chasiv Yar,” he explained.
At the same time, Polukhin noted that it is sometimes complicated to distinguish between a group of Russians and local civilians, as the occupiers may disguise themselves.
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